Giuliani wary of repeal of Roe

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SIMI VALLEY, Calif. -- Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said last night that he would be "OK" with a Supreme Court repealing Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.

But Mr. Giuliani said he would approve of the justices upholding the decision -- a sharp contrast with the nine other candidates on the stage for the first Republican primary debate, who said they would welcome its overturn and one even saying that would be "the greatest day in the country's history."

It was the latest stance for Mr. Giuliani on an issue that has dogged his campaign as he tries to win the nomination of an avowedly pro-life party whose social conservative base has such power in the primaries.

"It would be OK to repeal. It would be also if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent," Mr. Giuliani said during the 90-minute debate hosted by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. "I think the court has to make that decision and then the country can deal with it."

Pressed by the moderator, who called Mr. Giuliani's position "nuanced," the candidate went into more detail, saying "I hate abortion." He added that he opposes federal funding for abortions, though he said states should be allowed to fund them and that it was the right policy for New York to fund them.

But he took more criticism from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who said it takes more to be a pro-life candidate than leaving the decisions up to the courts.

"You can fight, for instance, to make sure that partial-birth abortion is made illegal," he said, also criticizing the campaign-finance rules written by fellow candidate Sen. John McCain, which he said have stifled pro-life groups' efforts to participate in elections.

While social issues and the Republican Party's recent woes dominated the debate, the candidates mostly found agreement on how to handle the war in Iraq, with just Rep. Ron Paul of Texas opposing the war effort.

Mr. McCain, trying to recapture his status as front-runner in the Republican presidential field, blasted Democrats for opposing President Bush's troop surge, saying that although the administration "terribly mismanaged" the war early on, it now has the right strategy.

"If we lost, then who won? Did al Qaeda win?" the Arizona Republican said, denouncing the Democrats in Congress who applauded on the House floor after they passed a bill setting a timetable for withdrawal.